University of California, Davis via ScienceDailyAbout one-third of 1751 genes studied in the first comprehensive survey of the mouse genome are essential to life, according to new research. Mutations of these genes cause death at the embryo stage. Many of them have counterparts in the human genome, so understanding why these genes are so vital could help prioritize human genes for study.READ MORE

Newcastle University via ScienceDailyYou might be able to blame your genes for weighing more and increasing your risk of obesity, but you can no longer blame your genes for failing to lose weight, a comprehensive study has found.
Carriers of the FTO gene are known to be on average 6.6 pounds heavier and 70 percent more likely to be obese.READ MORE

CBS NewsSmoking cigarettes can leave a lasting imprint on human DNA, altering more than 7,000 genes in ways that may contribute to the development of smoking-related diseases, a new study says.
Reviewing results from blood samples taken from nearly 16,000 people in 16 prior studies, the researchers also found that for those who stopped smoking, most genes “recovered” within five years of quitting.READ MORE

The Washington PostIn the 19th century, Austrian monk Gregor Mendel famously crossbred pea plants to show how traits, such as height, flower color, seed color and shape could be determined by parentage. He found that two parents with one trait could produce offspring that exhibited another — two tall plants would have mostly tall offspring, for example, but a percentage of their descendants might turn out short.READ MORE

Health Information DesignsSpending on specialty pharmaceuticals climbed 18 percent in 2015, compared to an increase of less than 1 percent for standard prescription medications. Despite their effectiveness, specialty medications are under constant scrutiny—reflecting the growing concern of balancing clinical innovation with responsible spending.READ MORE

News-Medical.netBoth heredity and environmental factors influence our risk of cardiovascular disease. A new study, by researches at Uppsala University, shows now that the memory of a heart attack can be stored in our genes through epigenetic changes. The results have been published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics.READ MORE

MIT NewsThe spread of malignant cells around the body, known as metastasis, is the leading cause of mortality in women with breast cancer.
Now, a new gene therapy technique being developed by researchers at MIT is showing promise as a way to prevent breast cancer tumors from metastasizing.READ MORE

LiveScienceLeukemia is no longer the No. 1 cause of cancer deaths in children, but brain cancer has taken it's place, according to a new report.
All pediatric cancer death rates have been dropping since the mid-1970s, according to the report released from the National Center for Health Statistics. READ MORE

Health IT AnalyticsA new research and clinical care consortium will expand the use of personalized medicine and genomics for pediatric patients nationwide.
Some of the nation’s most lauded pediatric medical centers are aiming to advance personalized medicine through a new collaborative arrangement funded by philanthropist Denny Sanford.READ MORE

Genoptix Medical LaboratoryGenoptix, a Novartis company, is a leading CAP-accredited and CLIA-certified specialized laboratory focused on delivering diagnostic services to hematology/oncology patients and the physicians who treat them.

Healthcare IT NewsAugmented reality, the technology behind this summer's popular game app, Pokémon GO, and virtual reality – popularized by the Oculus Rift gaming headset – are poised to reshape patient therapy and medical training, some say.
"We believe AR/VR has the power to revolutionize how we deliver and approach healthcare and medicine," said Rodwin Pabello, director of product development at San Francisco-based software developer, Viscira.READ MORE

Health Data ManagementPhysicians might be skittish about embracing cutting-edge forms of digital health but consumers are open to the use of healthcare technology in a way that providers would be wise not to ignore.
That’s the finding of a new 2016 online survey of 3,751 U.S. adults by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. The results show that consumers of all demographics are at least agreeable to the idea of technology-enabled home care.READ MORE

University of California, Los Angeles via ScienceDailyBy coating tiny gel beads with lung-derived stem cells and then allowing them to self-assemble into the shapes of the air sacs found in human lungs, researchers have succeeded in creating three-dimensional lung "organoids." The laboratory-grown lung-like tissue can be used to study diseases including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which has traditionally been difficult to study using conventional methods.READ MORE

Phys.orgScientists have discovered a new way to replicate the regenerative power of stem cells in the lab, which could lead to powerful treatments for injuries and diseases.
In a new paper published in the journal ACS Nano, Dr. Catherine Berry and Professor Matthew Dalby from the University of Glasgow's Institute of Molecular Cell and Systems Biology, describe how they have been able create and control bundles of bone marrow stem cells that act as the stem cells do in the body. These bundles of cells are capable of healing injuries in lab-grown bone and cartilage models.
READ MORE

HealthPayer IntelligenceAccountable care organizations need to overcome some major challenges such as the lack of data sharing from hospitals.
Accountable care organizations are relatively new patient care models that can operate with either public or private health payers. READ MORE

AJMCLittle is known about how providers within accountable care organizations perceive ACO utility in early stages of operation. We explored initial perceptions of providers participating in the Johns Hopkins Medicine Alliance for Patients, LLC, within 6 months of launching as an ACO. READ MORE

NBC NewsThe Food and Drug Administration approved a controversial muscular dystrophy drug, ignoring the advice of its advisers and delighting families and advocates who had campaigned hard for its approval.
The drug is called eteplirsen. It's aimed at a mutation that causes some cases of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the most common type of muscular dystrophy.READ MORE

FierceBiotechThe FDA cleared Shockwave Medical’s angioplasty balloon that delivers ultrasound shockwaves to break up calcified plaques in patients with peripheral artery disease, the company announced. It is the first device that targets hardened calcium in cardiovascular disease patients.READ MORE

The AtlanticWill anyone be able to figure out American healthcare? So far, perhaps the world’s most byzantine arrangement of doctors, hospitals, clinics, contractors, pharmaceutical companies, private insurers, public insurers, medical schools, nursing homes, and dozens of other stakeholders has been less a coherent system than a collection of discount-furniture bits and pieces thrown on a floor with no instructions for assembly. READ MORE

CNBC
Insuring people through Obamacare — which was crafted in part to cover people who can't get health insurance through their jobs — may be costing less money than if they had employer-based coverage, a new study suggests. The study, by the Urban Institute, comes as premium rates for 2017 Obamacare plans are being finalized. READ MORE

NAMCP UPDATES

The treatment cost for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients in the U.S. is approximately $14 billion a year and is projected to rise through 2020. To help managed care professionals more effectively analyze medical and pharmacy claims, Bayer has developed the “Treatment and Analysis of Colorectal Cancer Evidence” (TRACE) Analyzer. Click here for more information and who to contact.

In a recently published study, researchers demonstrated that the DecisionDx-UM gene expression profile test accurately predicts metastatic risk for uveal melanoma patients and is being used by physicians to appropriately guide patient care decisions with the ultimate goal to improve net health outcomes. Please click here to review the full press release.

Seattle Genetics Announces FDA Regular Approval of ADCETRIS® for Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients at High Risk of Relapse or Progression. Click here to view more information.

Sandoz, a Novartis company, announced today that Zarxio™ (filgrastim-sndz) is now available in the United States. Zarxio is the first biosimilar approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the first to launch in the US. Please click here for more information.
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